The present disclosure relates to entertainment systems such as gaming systems including casino games. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a distribution system for providing cash or other items of value to a user at the location of the gaming system.
Entertainment centers and associated costs are on the rise. As Americans age, an increasing percentage of them participate in entertainment activities. Entertainment activities include casinos, cruises, virtual reality gaming centers, theme parks, and other engaging activities. Each of these activities require the payment of cash or equivalent consideration in order to engage in these activities. Unfortunately, the elderly, handicapped and families with small children may often find it difficult to engage in cash withdrawal transactions as the traditional automatic teller machine (ATM) may be placed in an area that is not very accessible or difficult to reach.
Additionally, enjoyment of the casino gaming experience is often predicated upon a player's ability to easily and effectively manage his or her winnings. Typically, when a player is finished using a gaming machine, the player's winnings are redeemed either by distributing to the player the appropriate amount of cash or crediting the player's casino-specific account through a casino-issued card. When the winnings are distributed in cash, the player is left with the task of collecting and carrying cumbersome coins either to another gaming machine or to the casino cage to convert the winnings into a more manageable medium such as paper cash. The hassle of carrying coins can be annoying and lines at the cage can be inconvenient. Alternatively, when the winnings are distributed by crediting a casino-issued card, the player may avoid the burden of dealing with awkward coins, but the player is still left with the undertaking of converting the winnings into a medium that is usable outside the casino. In sum, existing redemption methods require numerous steps and other burdens.
Because casinos have an interest in maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction, it is advantageous to provide customers with the ability to easily withdrawal money for spending and effectively manage their winnings in a manner that empowers them to quickly collect their money in a form of their choosing. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method of providing direct access to a cash or cash equivalent (collectively “Cash”) withdrawal system such that a player may engage in one or more entertainment activities.